Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is used in the food industry to enhance the properties or attributes of a final food product. For example, MCC has been used as a dispersion and suspension aid for suspending solids in aqueous media. In particular, MCC compositions have been developed for enhanced texture or “mouth-feel” in food applications. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,573,058, microcrystalline cellulose is co-dried with a substantial amount of protective hydrocolloid, such as gelatin, alginate, and the like to form a co-dried product that can vary the texture of mouth-feel of food products into which the product is incorporated. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,569 describes a fat-like bulking agent for aqueous foods made from a microcrystalline cellulose intimately admixed with a galactomannan gum, such as guar gum, in an aqueous medium, which is then dried.
There has been a need, however, to obtain a microcrystalline cellulose composition which exhibits a broader range of mouth-feel properties in different food and beverage applications, such as low pH and neutral pH food applications. It is also desirable that these mouth-feel properties may be tailored based on the sensory properties desired in the final product. In addition, the microcrystalline cellulose composition should have good stability and shelf life properties.